Celaenae

Kelainai (Greek Κελαιναί ) was one of the most important ancient cities of Asia Minor, especially in the Achaemenid. Located on the sources of the meander and at the intersection of several major roads, including the Persian King Street, was the Phrygian city probably already in the Bronze Age, a regional trade center and became, after it had been renamed under Antiochus I. Apamea, to Roman times next to Ephesus to the biggest market of Asia Minor, as Strabo reported. In Byzantine times the city declined in importance, but was probably never completely abandoned. The present city Dinar built over a portion of the ancient city area, archaeological remains are to be seen only a few.

Location

Kelainai lay at the source of meanders, now located in its place the city Dinar ( Afyon province ). Kelainai was, as now, dinar, a major transport hub on the border between Lydia and Phrygia is mentioned by many ancient authors. The army trains of Xerxes I, the younger Cyrus, Alexander the Great and the Roman consul Gnaeus Manlius Vulso marched through here. In Kelainai met four major routes together; probably passed through the city, the Persian king street. The reedy Mäanderquellen at Kelainai, fed underground through the nearby lake Aulotrene, are the background for an old, multi-layered myths.

Mythology

The best-known legend, which is related to Kelainai, is the competition between Apollo and Marsyas; Marsyas is frequently played on coinage of the city. The place of the martyrdom of the satyr the older traditions in Kelainai According to the source of the river Marsyas, which rose from the battered body of Marsyas or, according to other versions, its the terrible fate beweinenden satyrs and nymphs. Another version, which is reported by Pliny and adopted by Solinus, let the competition take place in the Valley of Aulotrene, which is about eight kilometers away from the city.

Another legend circuit, which is located in Kelainai, is linked to another famous Phrygian in context, the King Midas. Several sources mention Kelainai as the capital of his kingdom and say that Marsyas was originally referred to as the source of Midas: It originated at the request of the Phrygian king by Dionysus ' help. Callisthenes was again no doubt locally traditional legend of Zeus Idaios an abyss in Kelainai could be opened, the swallowed several houses with their inhabitants. An oracle had prophesied that the abyss close again when he cast into its most valuable commodity Midas. Eventually his son Anchurus riding crashed into the throat, which then joined again. In his place, let Midas build a golden altar of Zeus Idaios.

Is in accordance with a third based in Kelainai - Apamea myth here that the mountain Ararat be locate on which Noah's ark has landed after the flood. This localization is the first time in the Sibylline Oracles (1, 261) and subsequently testified at Julius Africanus and other Byzantine authors. On numerous coins of the third century of Apamea Noah is pictured with his ark. They show that it is predominantly a local tradition that is safe with the large Jewish community in Apamea in context.

History

Early History and the Persian period

Due to its excellent geographical position go the urban roots Kelainais back to the Bronze Age. In the 6th century BC, the city fell under Lydian influence and entered with Greek and Ionian cities in intensive commercial contact. In a short time she became an important trading center. In the first literary mention of the city is mentioned, said to have been surpassed in wealth only by the Great King Xerxes of the resident Kelainai Lydians Pythios. He had already sent to Darius I, the father of Xerxes, precious gifts, and it is likely that his family had already settled in vorachämenidischer time in Kelainai, when the city was under Lydian rule. In Achaemenid period Kelainai was the Persian royal residence, probably the only Asia Minor. According to Xenophon Xerxes immediately after his defeat at Salamis ( 479 BC) at the foot of the upper town build a palace. At the sources of the meanders of the younger Cyrus had built another palace, which was full of wildlife, surrounded by a large paradeisos, a hunting garden. In his capital he gained in 401 BC his army to strike against his brother Artaxerxes II The army united here with 10,000 Greek mercenaries who came from Sardis ( Anabasis, train the Ten Thousand, Xenophon ). Sure Kelainai was also Phrygian Satrapensitz, even if no traditions thereof are known. In Kelainai the satrap Pharnabazos Alcibiades had assassinated (404 BC), during this stayed as a refugee in Phrygia. Alcibiades had north of Kelainai settled in a place called Melissa, and his first to the imperial period revered grave was erected. In 333 BC Alexander the Great reached with his armies Kelainai and sat Antigonus as satrap of Phrygia one. The city was then Seleucid.

Hellenistic period

Antiochus I Soter ( 324-261 BC) later founded the city of new and gave her, according to his mother, the name of Apamea. According to Strabo Antiochus residents of Kelainai moved to Apamea, yet the name Kelainai was apparently not entirely abandoned: Dio Chrysostom (35 ) holds, for example, his speech not in Apamea, but in Kelainai. Presumably, therefore, the settlement focus was shifted to the south, possibly in the context of urban expansion. How Kelainai also served as the residence of Apamea city with an important Seleucid palace. Here resided Antiochus III. 193-188 BC and 188 BC Here the peace between the Roman Republic and the Seleucid Empire was closed. Apamea was then part of the Kingdom of Pergamon and was BC together with the other possessions of Pergamon Roman empire in 133. In 129 BC the city was ceded to Mithridates V of Pontus and (120 BC) declared after his death for free.

Roman time

Despite the obvious Roman presence in the city, she was accepted into the province of Asia until the year 84 BC. Over the first half of the 1st century BC, Apamea was repeatedly assigned to the province of Cilicia, and then went back to Asia. Even in Roman times, the city maintained its economic importance and was the largest market town of Ephesus in Asia Minor and the chief town of a conventus. Common representations of Noah's Ark on the imperial coinage of the city indicate a significant Jewish population. Only in the Byzantine era, the importance of the city decreased significantly, although it remained a bishopric until the 9th century. Even today, there is a titular Apamea in Bithynia.